Hi Guy's..I have searched for an answer in the archives with no luck, maybe I'm not using the right keywords but I have a cut out for a catch that must be centered on a deck and to be honest, I'm stumped Any words of wisdom pointing me in the right direction will be greatly appreciated.Mike

Dan, I can maintain the cut out size but I'm a little confused on the (w/2). Attached is the part of a tour box that I will have varying widths and on the smaller cases they only have one catch, the larger ones have 2 catches in which I have no problem keeping the needed dimension. But the single catch is giving me fits, I must be doing something wrong or I'm a tad rusty.Stumped in St. Petersburg

W is a variable that eCabinets translates into the width of the cabinet. If you want the cutout to be centered regardless of the cabinet's width, you subtract half of the cutout width from half of the cabinet's width. The parentheses say to perform the operation inside them first.

Thus, (W/2)-X where X = half of the cutout width will keep the center of the cutout on the centerline of the part.

For example, your cutout is 1 inch wide and the width of the cabinet is unknown (can change):

You would add a horizontal constraint on each side of the cutout that is tied to the outside edge of the part.

Then you click the Edit icon, select the dimension of one of the horizontal constraints and enter (exactly as shown here)...

(W/2)-.5

...then press Enter. Repeat for the other side and the cutout will stay in the center when the cabinet width is changed.

Simply substitute half of your actual cutout width for the .5 in this example.

Dan, if you add a constraint on either side of the cutout it will not work. You need to have one side free. I fell for that trick many times, not anymore. Use your (w/2)-1/2_cutout_width on either the left or the right side, but not both.

Sure it will Leo. If you don't constrain both sides you have to constrain the width of the cutout. Try this cabinet...change the width and see how the cutout in the back stays centered. It is constrained on both sides.

Genreally speaking, the simpler the combination of constraints that accomplish the desired result, the better. Sometimes you can actually get one constraint that conflicts with another and screws up the results.

Dan that did work, thank you. I did have an issue after I brought it back to editor the box got bigger but the deck with the cut stayed the same. It worked fine when I tested it in constraint manager, every thing stayed where it was suppose to be. I'll keep plugging & let you know the result and what I was doing wrong. Thanks again for the advise.Mike

Leo Graywacz wrote:On many occasions I have had constraints on both sides and it would not function. I guess it just doesn't like me sometimes.

I've had times that I got carried away and placed too many constraints causing one to conflict with another and making it appear that it just didn't work at all.

Mike Bowers wrote:Dan that did work, thank you. I did have an issue after I brought it back to editor the box got bigger but the deck with the cut stayed the same. It worked fine when I tested it in constraint manager, every thing stayed where it was suppose to be. I'll keep plugging & let you know the result and what I was doing wrong. Thanks again for the advise.Mike

Leo Graywacz wrote:On many occasions I have had constraints on both sides and it would not function. I guess it just doesn't like me sometimes.

I've had times that I got carried away and placed too many constraints causing one to conflict with another and making it appear that it just didn't work at all.

Mike Bowers wrote:Dan that did work, thank you. I did have an issue after I brought it back to editor the box got bigger but the deck with the cut stayed the same. It worked fine when I tested it in constraint manager, every thing stayed where it was suppose to be. I'll keep plugging & let you know the result and what I was doing wrong. Thanks again for the advise.Mike

I'll download your cabinet and take a look.

After practicing a few more times and experimenting with different sizes, that was one of my problems. Thanks again.Mike

Ok, I admit to never using the constraint manager!!! There I said it.........I guess I just really have never had a need for it, but now I do. I have a gadzillion cabinets with the same pull on them-standard casework/plam fronts.I am going to drill the holes for the pulls in the doors and drawer fronts with the router. I think I have the constraints aplied correctly to the doors, that appeared relatively easy, although I havent cut any as of today..What is the easiest way to constrain the drawer fronts? It will be two 5mm holes spaced 4" apart with the pull being centered left to right and top to bottom

Put horizontal constraints on the OUTSIDE ONLY of each hole to the edge of the part using (W/2) - <space between hole centers /2) and vertical constraints on the top AND bottom of each hole using H/2. Place the constraints on the CENTER of the holes.

Caveat: I haven't tested this but it should give you the general idea.